Ten suspects in their custody, hours of footage from 100 CCTV cameras scanned and a viral audio clip adding to a twist. The police of Meerut and Bijnor districts are looking for a breakthrough in their probe into the kidnapping of two Mumbai-based celebrities — comedian Sunil Pal and actor Mushtaq Mohammed Khan.
The two abductions held in quick succession – November 20 of Khan, followed by December 2 of Pal – have similar modus operandi, with both being held captive at the same guesthouse in Bijnor. Also, what has transpired from the complaints is that both were invited to take part in an event and were paid some money in advance. While Khan was paid an advance of Rs 25,000 and flight tickets, according to a complaint filed by his event manager in Bijnor; it is not yet clear how much Pal was paid.
“Both the kidnappings were carried out in a similar manner. Both of them were kept blindfolded during their period of captivity in the same guesthouse in Bijnor. Mushtaq Khan was invited for a senior citizens’ show in Meerut on November 20 and was abducted from Modinagar after being picked up from Delhi airport… Sunil Pal also has told Mumbai Police that he was abducted from a dhaba on the Meerut-Haridwar highway on December 2 after he was lured to enter a fan’s car,” said Superintendent of Police (Bijnor) Abhishek Jha.
But the similarities end there.
As per the FIR registered in Bijnor, Shivam Yadav, the actor was beaten and tortured by his abductors. He was forced to transfer Rs 2.25 lakh from his mobile. On the morning of November 22 around 4 am, Khan managed to escape from the guesthouse and took shelter at a nearby mosque, from where he made calls to his friends and family and managed to return to Mumbai. Sunil Pal, on the other hand, told the Mumbai Police — where his wife had filed a missing person’s complaint on December 2 after she was unable to contact him on his phone — that the kidnappers did not beat him up and he was released in Meerut on the evening of December 3 after he transferred Rs 8 lakh to two bank accounts. Pal also told police that he was paid Rs 20,000 by the abductors so that he could return to Mumbai.
Mumbai Police, probing Pal’s kidnapping, also traced the transferred money to the bank accounts of two jewellers in the city from whom the alleged kidnappers bought gold. The accounts of the two jewellers were later frozen.
But an audio clip, reportedly released by Pal’s kidnappers, has put the Meerut and Bijnor police in a fix. “We are in possession of an audio tape, which was released by the kidnappers after Sunil Pal was released. The content in the audio clip points out that Pal knew his kidnappers very well and assured them repeatedly in the tape to keep quiet for some time,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (Meerut) Vipin Tada.
To get clarity, Meerut police, which is now probing the kidnapping case after the Mumbai Police transferred the case to it on Tuesday, summoned Pal.
However, Sunil Pal’s wife, Sarita, on Wednesday reached Meerut to meet the investigators.
“The audio tape was leaked selectively and only those portions of the conversation were released to convey a message that my husband Sunil Pal and the abductors were hand-in-glove. My husband is ill and is taking rest in Mumbai. So, I came to Meerut with three lawyers to cooperate with the Meerut police,” Sarita told mediapersons after meeting the investigators. “Sunil was threatened before the audio was recorded… Initially, ` 20 lakh was demanded, but we gave them Rs 8 lakh. Once the accused are arrested, the situation will become clear,” she added. When asked if her husband’s kidnapping was linked to actor Mushtaq Khan’s abduction, Sarita she had no knowledge of it.
“We are checking the audio tape to find whether it is edited. Those in custody are being interrogated and four teams have been formed to track down the main accused — Lavi Pal, and Arjun Karnwal — who are absconding. The real picture will emerge after our ongoing investigation is complete,” the Meerut SSP said.
“We are conducting raids at possible hideouts of the suspects and the main accused. We are hopeful of getting a breakthrough soon,” said Bijnor SP Jha.
